Former WBC cruiserweight champion Tony Bellew believes his friend Dereck Chisora has it all to do to derail Oleksandr Usyk in their October 31 heavyweight showdown.
Bellew has first-hand knowledge of the attributes of Usyk, having been halted by the masterful Ukrainian in eight rounds in November 2018.
After cleaning out the cruiserweight division, Usyk (17-0, 13 KOs) has since stepped up to heavyweight and earned a No.1 ranking with the WBO, but he’s risking that rating with his first serious test in the division against the hot and cold Chisora (32-9, 23 KOs). Bellew feels underdog Chisora needs a right hand equalizer to flip the script.
“He’s my friend, he’s like a member of my family. I’m backing him, I’m there for him whatever he needs, whatever he wants, I will be there. But believe you me, there is nothing I can do for him on October 31. He’s going to have to do it all himself. Believe you me, he has it all to do,” Bellew told Sky Sports.
“[Usyk] is the most avoided fighter probably in the world. An amazing fighter. If anyone can do it, when their back is against the wall and they are written off by everyone, then Chisora can. I’m hoping his big right hand lands and he gets the job done. But this is a hard one. It will be very tough.
“I still think [Usyk is] a little bit open and can be caught. Watching his amateur fights, there was always a reaction from him when he got caught clean, but no one has exploited that so far in the pros. His chin is up in the air sometimes and if that continues then it might get caught one time.”
